Who: MasterCard

Objective: To strengthen relationships with consumers, business customers and employees by creating “priceless opportunities” for all cardholders.

Strategy: A six-year strategic “corporate alliance” agreement with Disney across EMEA, Russia and CIS. The partnership will develop cardholder experiences, including Disney Store shopping, Disneyland Paris events and hospitality benefits; payment solutions at Disneyland Paris and in Disney stores; promotional and branding opportunities, including “very subtle positioning” on signage at Disneyland Paris and Disney Stores.

Rationale: “This is the first pan-European family entertainment sponsorship we’ve undertaken,” says Paul Meulendijk, head of sponsorship for MasterCard. “Previously, our focus had been sport, because of the passion. But there are people less interested in sport and of course it relates well to our ‘Priceless’ campaign. MasterCard is about giving extra value. Disney is the same. They invented magic.”

Evaluation: “We’ll be measuring the ROI and the entire success of partnership, working very closely with Disney,” says Meulendijk. “We’ll be looking at take up of products, media exposure and brand awareness.”

• Introducing the Corporate Engagement Awards, a new awards programme for corporate sponsorship, partnerships and philanthropy – now open for entries! To find out more, visit www.communicatemagazine. com/corporateengagement